Tenche Coxe

Position: Federalist

State: Coxe was from Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was a middle colony. East of New Jersey, South of New York, North of Maryland and East of Louisiana Territory. Pennsylvania was big with agriculture and iron and grain milling productions. Pennsylvania was a third German-speaking and the most ethnically and regliously diverse state.

Occupation: Merchant

Social/ Economic Background: Coxe grew up in Philadelphia. His father was a merchant. Coxe was twenty-one years old when the American Revolution started. He was listed in the Pennsylvania’s militia and did not become interested in politics until after the war. Coxe represented Pennsylvania represented in the Continental Congress.

Constitutional Convention: Did not participate in Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. He did, however, write a letter promoting industrial development, which he presented to Benjamin Franklin at his house. He still wanted to get his word and opinion in the convention.

State’s Ratifying Group: He was not in the group.

Arguments: Coxe supported the Constitution. He was totally convinced that no one needed to fear the president getting too much power and was not like a king. He says that the President does not hold as much power as a king and is more closely connected with the people. Also, a president can be impeached or not reelected when the election comes around. The president holds no legislative power and cannot do things such as make a treaty or declare war with the approval of Congress. He was one of the leading Federalist defenders of the Constitution. Thought the Constitution did not need a Bill of Rights because the state’s Constitution’s protected the rights of the people.

Works Cited
Coxe, Tenche. "The Constitution Does Not Create a Monarchy." Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer [Philadelphia] 26 Sept. 1787. Print.

"The Debates in the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania, on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution." Debates in Pennsylvania Convention on Ratification of the Constitution. Web. 26 Sept. 2009. <http://www.constitution.org/rc/rat_pa.htm>.

Halbrook, Stephen P., and David B. Kopel. "Tenche Coxe and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, 1787-1823." Second Amendment Project. Council of the College of William and Mary, 1999. Web. 26 Sept. 2009. <http://www.davekopel.com/2A/LawRev/hk-coxe.htm>.

"Pennsylvania ratifies the Constitution." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 1996. Web. 1 Oct. 2009. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=41>.

"State History." Thingstodo.com. Software Solutions, 2009. Web. 1 Oct. 2009. <http://www.thingstodo.com/states/PA/history.htm>.